Subscriber station

Abstract

A subscriber station and various methods and systems associated therewith are provided. An embodiment includes a DSL based system wherein the subscriber station includes the functionality of a DSL modem. The modem is operable to execute a web-based management session that executes in a first communication band, and that can be made available at a management console located outside of the private network located at the subscriber station. The modem is also operable to listen for an activation signal via a communication band that is outside of the first communication band. The web-based management session is activated upon receipt of the out-of-band activation signal.

1 . A method of controlling a subscriber station comprising the steps of: 
 receiving an activation signal at a subscriber station over an out-of-band link; and,    responsive to said activation signal, activating a management session over an in-band link.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of authenticating said out-of-band activation signal.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of terminating said management session upon occurrence of a predefined event.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said predefined event is selected from the group consisting of an in-band signal (message, command, etc) sent to the managements session and a second out-of-band signal received at said subscriber station.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said predefined event is an expiry of a period of inactivity of said management session.  
   
   
       6 . A subscriber station comprising: 
 first and second interfaces for connection to first and second networks respectively, each of said networks having a first medium associated therewith;    a microprocessor interconnecting said interfaces for communicating transmissions between said networks;    a persistent storage device connected to said microprocessor for storing a management session executable on said microprocessor, said management session operable to control said transmissions according to configurations made to said management session over said first medium, said management session being activatable on said microprocessor via an activation signal sent over another medium that is different from said first medium.    
   
   
       7 . The subscriber station of  claim 6  wherein said subscriber station includes functionality selected from the group consisting of an xDSL modem, a cable modem, a set-top box and a wireless local loop subscriber station.  
   
   
       8 . The subscriber station of  claim 6  wherein said subscriber station is an xDSL modem and said first interface is connectable to a DSLAM via a twisted pair.  
   
   
       9 . The subscriber station of  claim 8  wherein said second interface is connectable to a client via an Intranet, said subscriber station operable to carry Internet communications between said client and said DSLAM.  
   
   
       10 . The subscriber station of  claim 6  wherein said second network is a link for connection to a computing device.  
   
   
       11 . The subscriber station of  claim 6  wherein said first network is the Internet and said second network is an Intranet.  
   
   
       12 . The subscriber station of  claim 11  wherein said first medium includes at least one of layers three through seven of the OSI reference model.  
   
   
       13 . The subscriber station of  claim 12  wherein said another medium is layer one of the OSI reference model.  
   
   
       14 . The subscriber station of  claim 13  wherein said subscriber station is an xDSL modem and said signal includes at least one “Sync” signal.  
   
   
       15 . The subscriber station of  claim 14  wherein said signal includes a plurality of “Sync” signals sent over predetermined intervals recognizable to said management session.  
   
   
       16 . The subscriber station of  claim 12  wherein an activation signal used for activation of said management session is based on activation of a physical switch located on an exterior of said subscriber station.  
   
   
       17 . The subscriber station of  claim 13  wherein said another medium is layer two of the OSI reference model.  
   
   
       18 . The subscriber station of  claim 17  wherein said activation signal used for activation of said management session is based on a predefined code sent via vendor proprietary segment of the specification as defined in International Telecommunications Standard (“ITU”) Telecommunication Standardization Sector (“ITU-T”) G. 992.1, dated July 1999.  
   
   
       19 . The subscriber station of  claim 6  wherein said configurations are made over a secure channel established over said first medium.  
   
   
       20 . The subscriber station of  claim 19  wherein said first network is the Internet, said management session is a web-based application, and said secure channel is a secure socket layer (“SSL”).  
   
   
       21 . The subscriber station of  claim 6  wherein said management session requires authentication of a user at least once after activation and prior to permitting changes to said configurations.  
   
   
       22 . The subscriber station of  claim 6  wherein said management session sends an acknowledgement to a source of said signal after receipt thereof.  
   
   
       23 . The subscriber station of  claim 6  wherein a source of said signal is a management console associated with a service provider respective to said subscriber station.  
   
   
       24 . The subscriber station of  claim 6  wherein said configurations include changes to a subscription of services associated with said subscriber station and which are provided by a service provider.  
   
   
       25 . The subscriber station of  claim 24  wherein said management session includes a software object for verifying said configurations corresponds to said subscription.  
   
   
       26 . The subscriber station of  claim 25  wherein said software object can be periodically invoked and results therefrom reported to a management console associated with said service provider.  
   
   
       27 . A method of testing for connectivity over a first medium between a subscriber station at a subscriber premises and a service provider comprising the steps of: 
 sending an activation signal over another medium different from said first medium to said subscriber station;    responsive to said activation signal, activating a management session resident at said subscriber station over said first medium;    proving connectivity if said management session communicates via said first medium with a management console that is located outside of said subscriber premises;    disproving connectivity if said management session does not communicate via said first medium with said management console.    
   
   
       28 . A method of testing for connectivity over a first medium between a subscriber station at a subscriber premises and a service provider comprising the steps of: 
 sending an activation signal over another medium different from said first medium to said subscriber station;    responsive to said activation signal, activating said subscriber station connection over said first medium; and,    proving connectivity if said subscriber station communicates via said first medium with a management console that is located outside of said subscriber premises.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising the step of disproving connectivity if said subscriber station does not communicate via said first medium with said management console.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said subscriber station includes functionality selected from the group consisting of an xDSL modem, a cable modem, a set-top box and a wireless local loop subscriber station.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said first medium includes at least one of layers three through seven of the OSI reference model.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said another medium is layer one of the OSI reference model.  
   
   
       33  The method of  claim 29  wherein said subscriber station is an xDSL modem and said signal includes at least one “Sync” signal.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 29  wherein said signal includes a plurality of “Sync” signals sent over predetermined intervals recognizable to said management session.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said signal is based on activation of a physical switch located on an exterior of said subscriber station.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said another medium is layer two of the OSI reference model.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said activation signal is based on a predefined code  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein said predefined code is sent via vendor proprietary segment of the specification as defined in International Telecommunications Standard (“ITU”) Telecommunication Standardization Sector (“ITU-T”) G. 992.1.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said subscriber station requires authentication of a user at least once after activation.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising the step sending an acknowledgement to a source of said signal after receipt thereof regardless of whether said connectivity is proved or disproved.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 28  wherein a source of said signal is a management console associated with a service provider respective to said subscriber station.  
   
   
       42 . An activation signal sent over a first communication medium to a subscriber station which upon receipt by said subscriber station is for causing said subscriber station to attempt communication over another communication medium different from said first communication medium.  
   
   
       43 . A computer readable medium for storing a management session executable by a microprocessor on a subscriber station, said subscriber station including first and second interfaces for connection to first and second networks respectively, each of said networks having a first medium associated therewith; said subscriber station operable to interconnect said interfaces for communicating transmissions between said networks, said management session operable to control said transmissions according to configurations made to said management session over said first medium, said management session being activatable on said microprocessor via an activation signal sent over another medium that is different from said first medium.  
   
   
       44 . The medium according to  claim 43  wherein said configurations include changes to a subscription of services associated with said subscriber station and which are provided by a service provider.  
   
   
       45 . The medium according to  claim 43  wherein said management session includes a software object for verifying said configurations corresponds to said subscription.  
   
   
       46 . The medium according to  claim 43  wherein said software object can be periodically invoked and results therefrom reported to a management console associated with said service provider.